Leokadia (Muchowska) Opioła - Brother escaped and stayed behind
Describing how her brother escaped and stayed in Poland (the Russians did not realize he was missing). Two of her aunts offered to take the youngest child, but her mother …
Tadeusz Kay-Kwiecinski - TKK
Henrzk Bartul gave his permission to use this interview (email to KMS dated Oct 17, 2011)
Ludwik Hajduk - Life in the Junaks
Describing the bi-weekly medical tests, as well as the frequent haircuts. They would save the hair clippings and stuff leather balls with them.
Ludwik Hajduk - Mother dies in Uzbekistan
His mother died, shortly after receiving a letter from her husband saying that they will soon join the Polish Army. She was buried next to her son Kazimierz in a …
Ludwik Hajduk - Helping KOP soldiers
Describing how his father sheltered KOP soldiers on his property, helped bury their arms, and obtained civilian clothing for them. They tried to escape the Soviet-controlled area of Poland in …
Zbigniew Rosiński - Arriving in Siberia
Describing the trip to the labour camp in Siberia.
Zbigniew Rosiński - Joined his parents on the train
Describing how his parents were arrested and then deported, and his insistence on joining them on the train
Eugenia (Piotuch) Smolnicki - Tried to save bread for her mother
Eugenia describes how she kept wanting to save part of her bread so that she could bring it to her starving mother, but she was so hungry herself that she …
Kazimiera (Gerech) Kolodziej - Army forming in USSR
Describing the train journey south to find the Polish Army, and her father’s enlisting in the Army.
Kazimiera (Gerech) Kolodziej - Finding father alive
Describing how they found their father wandering around, without any memory of his family. His memory returned when he heard his son call to him.
Maria (Załuska) Strońska - Prayers in Guzar
Describing how important religion was to the deportees.
Maria (Załuska) Strońska - Saved drowning girl in Siberia
Describing how she saved a girl named Wanda from drowning in the river in Siberia.
Maria (Załuska) Strońska - Patriotism
Describing how they felt as they were being deported, and how important the loss of one’s country is.
Maria Osadca - Meeting husband in Ancona
Describing how she met her husband and he asked her to marry him the next day. They were married after only 5 meetings.
Maria Osadca - Ancona Hospital
Describing the condition of the hospital – all the windows were blown out by the bombing. Wounded were arriving from all the battles after Cassino.
Maria Osadca - wounded from Cassino
Describing the set up of the hospital and dealing with the massive number of wounded from the Battle of Monte Cassino.
Roger Scazighino - What Father did
Describing his father’s work before the war at Lwow Radio, and his work for the Polish Government in Exile during and after the war.
Roger Scazighino - Orphanage to Bombay
Describing how his mother was convinced to send them to India, and their overland trip by lorry from Uzbekistan to India.
Roger Scazighino - Getting from India to Teheran
Describing the problems their mother had in getting them from India to Teheran.
Roger Scazighino - Samarkaand and the Polish Army
Describing the journey south to join the Polish Army
Roger Scazighino - Scarlet fever
Describing how he was treated for scarlet fever in the labour camp.
Feliks (junior) Scazighino - Uncle from 2 Corps to 1 PAD to Meppen
Describing how his Uncle was promoted in the Polish 2nd Corps, and eventually replaced General Maczek and served in the iPAD in Meppen.
Feliks (junior) Scazighino - Uncle officer arrested by Soviets
Describing how his uncle was arrested and sent to Siberia, but managed to conceal his true identity as a high-ranking officer.
Feliks (junior) Scazighino - What helped them survive
Describing how their mother would sell valuables that she had brought from Poland, and how this helped them survive and leave the USSR.